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Chipper Jones talks growing up a Steelers fan, playing at Three Rivers

Atlanta Braves 3B plays final regular-season series at PNC Park

Updated: 9:06 PM EDT Oct 2, 2012

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Chipper Jones

Chipper Jones talks growing up a Steelers fan, playing at Three Rivers

Atlanta Braves 3B plays final regular-season series at PNC Park

Updated: 9:06 PM EDT Oct 2, 2012

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PITTSBURGH —

For Chipper Jones and the Pittsburgh Pirates, the year 1993 marks a turning point that sent them in the most opposite of directions.

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For Jones, he embarked on the beginning of a career with the Atlanta Braves that will one day conclude with his enshrinement at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

For the Pirates, it was the start of 20 consecutive losing seasons -- the longest in professional sports history.

But as Jones wraps up the final regular-season series of his career against the Pirates this week, he told Channel 4 Action News’ Justin Rose that fans in Pittsburgh have reason to believe their Buccos will soon overcome the late-season collapses that have doomed them the past two seasons.

“They’re very young. A lot of young players, they hit the wall mid-summer, and you can see that happening to the Pirates the last couple of years,” said Jones. “As they get older and learn how to go through a 162-game schedule, they’ll gradually get better and better, and I fully expect, with the talent they have over in that clubhouse, I fully expect them to be in the playoffs and we’ll be talking about hurdles they need to get over come October in a couple years as opposed to getting over that wall that they hit in August and September. I’d be encouraged if I was a Pirates fan.”

Jones, who plans to retire after 19 seasons with the Atlanta Braves, was honored by the Pirates before Monday night’s series opener at PNC Park, and received a standing ovation from fans, including his parents, who were flown in for the occasion.

He told Rose his farewell season, which will continue into the playoffs with the Braves, has been “really overwhelming.”

“This last year has been a dream come true. I’m used to getting booed lustily when I come into opposing parks, which is about par for the course. To get the standing ovations and the gifts from the teams, it’s been real classy on the part of the opposing teams all around the league. The fans have doled out a lot of love my way during the course of this year, so it’s much-appreciated,” he said.

And while the Braves have been the ire of Pittsburgh fans since they defeated the Pirates in consecutive National League Championship Series in the early 90s, before Jones joined the team, they might be surprised to know the Florida native actually grew up a Steelers fan.

“I was a huge Steelers fan growing up. The Steel Curtain defense was in full effect and the best team in football. Obviously, being a front runner when you’re 7 or 8 years old, I immediately adopted them as my favorite,” said Jones, who also spoke fondly of taking the field at Three Rivers Stadium, the former home of the Pirates and Steelers.

“Getting a chance to go and play at Three Rivers, where so many great baseball players, so many great football players have played, I always got jacked up to come here and play, play in Pittsburgh,” said Jones.

Jones called getting a chance to visit the Steelers at their training camp at Saint Vincent College “a career highlight.”